1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to sprayers, and more particularly to household and landscaping sprayers that can hold multiple chemicals.
2.Background
Portable sprayers are well known for usage around the home, landscaping, and commercial businesses. Typical usage includes the application of water soluble chemicals as well as chemicals that may me mixed with water for application purposes. Examples include pesticides and herbicides, but may also include other applications such as pigments or curing agents for cement and cleaning chemicals to aid in washing vehicles. The above uses are examples only; many other uses are known and will be discovered for portable sprayers.
A problem with current sprayers is that the chemical to be sprayed is mixed with a volume of water and placed into the sprayer. The ratio of chemical to water is then fixed and the sprayer may only spray that one chemical at that one ratio. If multiple chemicals are needed, then multiple sprayers will have to be prepared. For example, in maintaining a property a broad spectrum herbicide may be desired that will kill all leafy green vegetation along a fence line, at the same time a narrow spectrum herbicide may be needed for killing weeds in a grassy area without harming the grass, while at the same time an insecticide may be desired for application to ant mounds or other insect infestations. The person doing the maintenance may not know how much of each chemical would be needed, but suspects that all three may be needed. Therefore, the person prepares three full tanks; one of each chemical. As the day progresses it may be that one herbicide was needed frequently while the other chemicals were not, therefore, the person must refill one sprayer, and store the other two after not using them completely.
A further problem with current sprayers is that many chemicals are corrosive and can damage the sprayer if stored in the sprayer for long periods. This requires either that the sprayer be made of expensive, corrosion-resistant materials or that any unused chemical mixture be disposed of instead of stored. This is a waste of chemical mixture and can cause waste-disposal problems, depending on the nature of the chemical.
Another problem with existing sprayers is that certain applications may require varying ratios of chemical to water based on the usage. For example, a high ratio of fungicide may be used on a plant with obvious signs of fungal infestation, while a lower ratio may be used on a plant that needs only preventive treatment. This requires two different sprayers for the same chemical.
One result of the use of multiple sprayers is that the person doing the spraying must have a vehicle to carry so many sprayers. Even if each sprayer alone is handheld, three sprayers together require a vehicle to transport efficiently. This can increase maintenance costs significantly.
In response to the above problems there have been some attempts that include multiple tanks attached to a larger carrier. This eases some of the physical limitations of the simple sprayer, but does not address the problems that arise from having to prepare the chemical before usage.